Message Saved
by Myurra-K
Summary: I had always thought bad things happened to other people, and when they did they never effected me." Reid had everything... "Whoever said that if you truly love someone you could sense something was wrong, lied." ...now he's doesn't. RGxTS slash.


**Message Saved**  
**MyurraK**

_~`;'~_**  
**

_Sometimes it's hard to get the message, especially when you aren't listening  
- _Ashiko 'Locky' Hermeron

* * *

I had always thought bad things happened to other people; unless the bad thing was Caleb, then it happened to me and only me.

I'd always thought that bad things happening to other people would never effect me, either. I remember saying as much to my best friend at the age of fourteen when we were in the dorms one evening.

Tears worked their way into my eyes and I rubbed furiously at them.

I remember Tyler turning to me with a hurt look on his face, before the younger boy asked if I'd care if something did happen to someone else; someone we knew. Not wanting to fight with my best friend, I had said that I indeed would.

But in the end, I always thought that bad things happening to those around me didn't mean they were bad things that happened to myself. But apparently brothers really do share everything.

I had always thought bad things happened to other people, and when they did they never effected me. I learned my lesson.

* * *

_~`;'~_

"…_so as you can tell, we're all really worried about you. Sarah told me to say that she misses you, and that she wants to see how you're going. And my poor baby Pogue here finally woke up earlier, but he's asleep now 'cause the nurse gave him some more drugs; he cant forgive himself Reid. He's feeling so bad he cant even say your name. I hope you answer next time, I miss you. Love, Kate._"

"**Message saved**."

Reid sighed to himself, putting down his pen and staring at the paper he'd been writing on. He'd been writing absolutely everything, trying to figure out where it all went wrong. It was there, and yet it wasn't. He just couldn't grasp it.

The blonde ignored his phone once again when it started ringing, he was guessing it was about the eighteenth time it had rung that evening. Pretty soon, they'd all just start showing up at his door to make sure he hadn't suicided himself.

"**Hey, you've reached Reid Garwin. I'm more than likely ignoring this call, seeing as my friends are all lame and don't get out much. So anyway, you know what to do. Leave a message and I'll continue ignoring you. **-beep-"

"_Hey Reid, it's…uh it's Aaron. I'm not calling to be an ass; so don't pull the phone cord out or anything. Kira gave me your number if you're wondering; she has everyone's numbers. I…well obviously I seen what happened on the news, but I kinda, I seen…well…he wasn't a bad guy. He didn't deserve it. Uh, I wanted to say I'm sorry about…you know. Well, see ya in school._"

"**Message saved**."

They say that if you truly love someone, you are able to sense when something goes wrong. Reid closed his eyes tightly, swearing to himself that he wouldn't cry.

Once again, he took the paper he'd been writing on and shredded it between his hands. He didn't know how many times he'd attempted to write it, how many different takes and amounts of detail he'd tried to get it all on paper, he just couldn't figure out where it all went wrong.

The phone rung again, and again it went ignored.

"**Hey, you've reached Reid Garwin. I'm more than likely ignoring this call, seeing as my friends are all lame and don't get out much. So anyway, you know what to do. Leave a message and I'll continue ignoring you. **-beep-"

"_Hey Reid, just mum. I'm…well I'm not sure if you wanted to hear from anyone really, but…I just wanted to...well, the same thing everyone else is probably trying to do. I haven't seen much of Tyler lately, actually. Did he ever tell you his mother and I had a falling out a few years back? Well, I hope to see you at the…well at the ceremony. My love goes to you, deary._"

"**Message saved**."

It had to be there somewhere. It had to.

This time, his cell phone buzzed. Sighing to himself, he took the phone out of his pocket and flipped it open without even checking to see who it was.

"Reid, are you there?!" it was Caleb.

"Yeah," was all the blonde said before hitting the end button. He didn't feel like talking. He hated how dry and emotionless -_ how defeated - _his voice sounded when he had answered the phone.

Whoever said that if you truly love someone you could sense something was wrong, lied.

* * *

_~`;'~_  
_--Four Days Ago--_

"Hey Reid." Tyler said, playing with the keys in his hand. Reid stared at the keys for a moment before turning his eyes to the other boy. "Are you sure you don't want to come with me to Nickey's?" he pleaded, trying his best to guilt his lover into coming.

Reid sighed and shook his head. "Sorry, I really have to finish this assignment or the professor will kick my ass. And I'll fail the year. I don't want to repeat senior year, man."

Tyler pouted and Reid turned back to his textbook. "Well, what if I told you I had a secret lover once upon a time and he's coming tonight." Reid's eyes sharpened into a glare and he turned it on the younger boy.

"Do you?"

"No. It's just hypothetical."

"Then I'm staying." Reid said with a finalising tone, taking a sticky-ended note and placing it on the page he was reading before flicking over a few pages.

"Reid!" Tyler whined, drawing out his name as he jingled the keys. When he realised the blonde wasn't going to respond, the raven grinned. "I'll let you be on top."

"I'm already on top." Reid said nonchalantly, licking his thumb and turning the page. Tyler murmured a quiet, embarrassed 'oh yeah', going silent as he tried to think of a new way to try and convince the blonde.

"I'll let _me_ be on top." he said, grinning and trying to trick the other warlock. Reid didn't take the bait, but a reluctant grin flicked over his features.

"Good save, and quite tempting I'll admit, but I'm still staying."

Tyler groaned, falling back onto the bed and sighing loudly. "You can drive." he said, starting to sound defeated in his purpose. Reid turned, looking down at his lover in bewilderment.

"Now you're just going backwards." Tyler rolled his eyes.

"I'll let you drive _and_ I'll give you a B.J while you do it." Reid grinned at his frustrated friend, turning back to the book he was reading, only to realise he hadn't gotten passed a certain word in several moments thanks to the other boy.

"Safety first, Babyboy. Why do you want me to go so bad, anyways?" Tyler rolled his eyes.

"I'll be bored! Caleb and Pogue are all 'Romeo and Juliet' now days, and I don't mean with the girls." Reid laughed behind his hand. "But still, do you know how boring it is when you don't come? I get stuck hanging out with Aaron. _Aaron! _Oh, my self esteem just dropped again; thanks for making me think about it."

Laughing, Reid threw what looked to be an old chewed straw off his desk and at Tyler. "What's gotten into you, you're full of energy today." he chuckled.

Tyler opened an eye and held up his hand, counting off the list on his fingers. "Three words; Redbull, chocolate and Redbull." Reid sighed at his friend, still trying to hide a grin. He was so close to giving in.

"Who on earth let you near all that caffeine and sugar?" Reid asked. "Are they not aware that I'm the one who lives with you?"

"You should thank Pogue, you love it when I have a lot of energy." Reid narrowed his eyes.

"Yeah I do, but not when I've got homework. You're distracting enough as it is, you tease. I bet this was some big conspiracy to make me fail, you're all against me." Reid groaned, covering his eyes.

"So what do you say, you get the keys and the B.J if you come with me. We'll even come home early, we can just go for maybe an hour or two." Reid peeked an eye from behind his hand, staring the other warlock down. Tyler flushed, rolling his eyes and holding up his hands. "And I'll tell you where I hid the handcuffs."

"Oh?" Reid asked, grinning when all Tyler could do was flush and nod. He looked to the ceiling as if in thought for a moment. "You really are a minx, Ty." he said, turning back to his book, determined to get past the last sentence this time.

Tyler let out a frustrated growl. "You know what, I give up. I've tried everything I can think off, heck I even offered to suck you off while you're driving! And this is the last straw; if telling you where I put the cuffs wont work then nothing will." he stated, pulling himself into a sitting position and leaning over to tie his shoelaces.

Reid grinned. "I still want to know where you put those damn cuffs." he teased. Tyler huffed.

"Tough luck, Garwin." he seethed, though Reid knew he didn't mean it. As the younger boy made to get passed when Reid grabbed him at the elbow, pulling him closer and coaxing his lover into a kiss.

"Love you too, Babyboy." Tyler muttered to himself pressing his lips chastely to the blonde's before pulling away.

"Yeah yeah, love you. I have to get out of here before my I.Q drops." he said, shuddering in disgust at the thought, though his hand lingered on the doorknob as he went to open it. "Reid…"he started, turning to watch as said blonde leaned back in the chair, the end of a pen between his teeth as he stared at Tyler from upside down.

"Yeah, love?" he said, taking the pen out and flipping it over his fingers. Tyler licked his lips, biting them hesitantly. He stepped foreword again, leaning down and pressing his lips to Reid's in an upside-down kiss that lingered longer than the last. When he pulled away, Reid watched him with half-lidded eyes. "What was that for?" he asked.

Tyler looked down. "I don't know…I feel funny I guess." Reid sat up, swivelling the chair around to face the other boy. "Sometimes, I just get this weird feeling, and usually I stay home when I get it. It's like…if I leave something is going to go wrong."

Reid frowned at the other boy. "This isn't just a sugar-drop thing?" he said, Tyler rolling his eyes and shaking his head.

"It's a … I dunno what it is. An intuition I guess. Maybe I should just stay home like I always do."

"If you stay, I'll never get this assignment done." Reid groaned, more to himself than Tyler. Noticing the other boy's discomfort he motioned with his hand for the younger warlock to come foreword. Sitting on Reid's lap, Tyler quirked his lips to the side as he studied his boyfriend.

Reid and Tyler didn't like to admit it, but they didn't like that term. They honestly felt like what they had was worth more than that label, but in the end when people asked what they were there wasn't anything else that they could say about it. At least, that was for now. Tyler tucked his hand into his pocket, absently fingering a small box gently.

He wanted to ask Reid to marry him; they only had school for another three weeks and they were out for good. He wasn't even sure if it was proper to ask Reid, as the blonde seemed to have the more dominant role in their relationship. But since they both hated the word 'boyfriend', at least 'fiancé' would be a word they didn't mind using.

They didn't even have to get married right away, and Tyler was happy with that; he'd wait years even.

But he never found the right time, and if he was honest with himself he could have sworn he'd seen Reid hiding a jewellery box from him a few times himself. At least they seemed to have the same thing in mind; just both were too chicken to ask. The thought that Reid planned to ask Tyler to marry him was enough to make the raven swell with pride.

He wanted to ask; so he needed to prepare himself for it. He needed the time away and Reid needed the peace and quiet.

"It's fine." Tyler said, suddenly calm. Reid stared at the smile on his lover's face with confusion. "I need to think about something anyway, and the time alone will give me the space to do so. Plus I don't want to get in the way here; you're right. I wouldn't want you to fail." he said, taking his hand out of his pocket but leaving the ring there.

"Alright, if you're sure. I mean, I can just pull another sickie tomorrow if you really want-" Tyler cut him off with a kiss.

"I don't mind. Just make sure you get everything done, because when I come back I'm not letting you keep going. You better finish this, whatever it is." he pulled himself up then, ignoring Reid's low whine and heading for the door then.

One again, he froze right when he was going to open the door. That feeling was back again. Several times as a kid he'd saved himself by paying attention to that feeling. One time he'd stopped his mother from going out to do her groceries by playing up over a bad feeling, only to find that the next day there had been a pile-up she would have probably been a part of.

One of the times Tyler had tried to ignore it, he'd ended up in hospital after nearly drowning while his friends sat around guiltily - they'd been twelve then and didn't have their powers and were jumping out of trees into the river. Tyler had dove directly into a shallow rocky bank and knocked himself unconscious and split his head open under water. His age had nothing to do with why his friends babied him; it was because he did what they did even if he had that bad feeling about it and always ended up hurt.

Of course, he'd never told his friends about this bad feeling; just kept doing what they did and getting injured. Hell, at least he had fun before it hurt. And he knew he had a higher pain tolerance than Reid, which he constantly teased the other boy about.

"Hey Reid…" Tyler started. This time, when Reid looked over, Tyler smiled softly. "I love you." he said it quietly, almost sadly. It was probably the most sincere he'd ever said it to the other boy. Reid's lips parted and he watched Tyler closely for a moment before he returned the soft smile.

"Yeah. I love you too." Tyler swallowed thickly, pushing through the door and closing it softly behind him. Reid groaned, spinning around in the chair and letting his head drop to the desk. He was almost certain Tyler would ask him, or he'd ask Tyler. Once again, he'd lost his nerve at the last minute. It was so hard despite knowing that Tyler planned on asking him as well.

He smiled to himself, turning his eyes up to the small green jewellery case that sat peacefully and inconspicuously between a couple of books on his shelf. It was a lot harder to ask for a hand in marriage than he first thought when he bought the ring.

Several hours later, with the project finished and a novel in hand, Reid fell asleep at his desk while doing some light reading and waiting up for Tyler. With his face lodged somewhere in the middle of chapter thirty-seven on page two-hundred and four, at around eleven thirty, he drifted off into dreams of somewhere warm and sunny.

He awoke to the sound of his cell phone vibrating and beeping at him. He groggily opened his eyes, flicking them to the clock to see it was about two in the morning. He vaguely wondered if the book he'd fallen asleep on had printed the text on his face; he'd had that happen before. Watching as the phone spun around in circles due to the vibrating, it took him a moment to realise he should answer it.

"Whoever this is, you'd better have a reason for depriving me of sleep; though you did save me a sore back and a kink in my neck in the morning." he grumbled, not really caring who he was talking to.

"…Reid." oh, goody. It was Caleb. He yawned, scratching absently at his head and making his way with closed eyes toward his bed.

"And the 'Garwin'. Don't forget the 'Garwin'. Otherwise I'm not the one-and-only now, am I." he heard Caleb sigh on the other end. He sounded tired too. "Caleb, man, who woke you up? You sound just as bad as me."

"Sarah called me." Reid let out a long breath, his back finally relaxing against the mattress.

"So is this some sort of chain-alarm-torture system? I know I ain't the best but dude, a man's gotta get his beauty sleep; cut me some slack."

"Reid, this is serious." Reid started to wake up a little at that, forcing himself to sit up, even if he was leaning against the wall to do so. Well, Caleb wasn't chastising him for either falling asleep at his desk, which he had done before much to the amusement of Pogue and Tyler, or for being so impossible when he obviously had something to say. Yep, Caleb Danvers was being serious beyond serious - that only happened when something terrible happened.

"Alright, I'm up. I don't know how long for, but I'm trying. Shoot." he said, only realising just then how tired he really did sound.

"Okay, now Reid I'm going to need you to stay very quiet for a moment, and I'll also need you away from…sharp objects." Reid was starting to tear away from sleep now, starting to get worried.

"Cay, you're scaring me." he admitted, opening both eyes. It was then he noticed; Tyler wasn't in yet. Tyler always came back before midnight. "It's…it's Tyler isn't it?" he said. The panic was there, lodged in his throat. All it needed was one little confirmation from Caleb and it was all over for him.

"He was in an accident." Caleb's breath hitched. "He's…" was Caleb _crying_? Oh no, this wasn't good. "…he's dead." Reid's throat closed around his panic, instead letting the disbelief build up for a few moments.

"…how did this happen…"

"He left shortly after ten with Pogue, but both of them had had alcohol, Pogue more so than Tyler. But you know how Tyler is." yep, Caleb was crying, Reid could hear it. "There was black ice. I knew it was cold, but I didn't think it was cold enough for black ice." Reid was silent as Caleb explained the rest of it.

He explained how Tyler hadn't seen the ice and when Pogue tried to warn him, Tyler panicked and sent the Hummer over the guard rails and onto the other side of the highway, into a direct collision path. They'd tried to use, Pogue had told Kate and Sarah when they'd come to see him, but alcohol affects their power.

They cant think straight, they cant use straight.

Pogue was extracted from the wreck first, completely unconscious. He'd woken up in the ambulance and had had a nurse use his phone to call Kate for him. Kate and Sarah were the ones who'd gotten the story out of him.

Caleb then went on to say that the police had told him it had taken half an hour to extract Tyler, and he was completely conscious and in terrible pain the whole while. He'd been pronounced dead by the hospital at just past eleven.

If Reid wasn't hanging onto the phone so tightly he was on the verge of breaking it, he would have thrown it elsewhere. He didn't want to know, he didn't want to believe it. It was all some trick; they were playing a trick on him.

"His body's been taken to the morgue; we're all heading there now."

* * *

_~`;'~_

Reid hadn't said anything since he'd received the call. He just sat in a chair, staring at the body covered with a white sheet from head to toe. Caleb, Kate and Sarah had all tried respectively to get him to talk, but he just kept staring at Tyler as though he would come to life any moment now, but would be lost forever if he looked away.

However, an intern stepped into the room. In one hand she had Tyler's shoes, the other was a plastic bag with smaller things in it. She asked for the person present who was closest to the deceased boy, and Sarah had indicated with her head toward Reid who was watching them blankly.

The intern smiled with false reassurance at the blonde boy, handing him the shoes and the bag saying they were all they could save. Reid, with some reluctance, reached inside, the other three in the room stepping closer to see what was there.

The first was a bracelet, the next an earring. Then there was a wallet, inside a picture of Reid kissing Tyler's cheek was stuck firmly into the plastic display pocket; it was a photo Pogue had taken at his birthday. Finally, Reid pulled out the small velvet box. He just kept staring at the box, even when the intern pushed Tyler's body toward a vacant storing department to be held until the boy's parents arrived.

Caleb knelt down in front of Reid, taking the box out of the blonde's shaking hands and opening it. Seeing what was inside, he took a deep breath, head lolling for a moment before he looked up at Sarah for assistance.

The blonde girl bit her lip, taking the open box out of her boyfriend's hands and closing it gently. Placing it back into Reid's shaking hands she grabbed Caleb and pulled him out. "We're going to see Pogue, Reid. You should get some rest."

Reid nodded, opening the box again. Caleb watched as Reid bit his lower lip but didn't cry, sliding the silver band onto his left ring finger, the small almost invisible diamond glittering in the bright ceiling light. Reid sighed to himself, absently fingering something in his pocket.

He nodded toward Kate, Sarah and Caleb, before going in search of the intern. They would have left him to it, but Caleb was curios and kept an eye around the corner, watching as the intern opened the compartment where she'd placed Tyler's body.

He felt tears prick his eyes when he watched as Reid took a box out of his pocket, opening it and taking Tyler's hand, sliding a silver band of his own over Tyler's cold unresponsive finger. He pulled back around the corner, following after his girlfriend and his friend as they walked down the corridor holding hands in comfort.

* * *

_~`;'~_

Reid didn't show up at the funeral, or at least, that was what most people thought. The members of the four families who were still alive could sense him nearby, and halfway through the ceremony when Caleb had to turn away to get air, he'd taken a walk a few feet away from the group.

Sighing to himself, he stared up at the clear sky, realising that it was the same colour as Tyler's eyes. A part of him thought that maybe Tyler was watching them, keeping the clouds away to try and help. He scoffed at himself, realising just how strange the idea was to be thinking at such a morbid time.

He shivered; just because there weren't any clouds didn't mean that there was a sun. It was the afternoon, bordering early evening, and the funeral ceremony was only half way through at best. Being such a well known family, losing their only son had been made a large event.

Sad to say, Tyler had made it on country-wide news; the whole of the united kingdom knew about the accident with himself and one of his friends, with the driver dying. It had actually been proven by the police and confirmed by Pogue that Tyler, after seeing the truck which had slammed on the brakes but was still going to hit them, had swerved the car so that the driver's side would take the hit. It was a successful, last ditch effort to save his friend, despite it costing him his life.

Caleb took out a cigarette and a lighter, but paused and stared at them both in his hands. Eventually, he growled and threw them both to the ground. Something caught his eye then, and he turned to face it.

Reid was there, leaning against the tree with eyes flickering between him and the funeral. There were no tears, but there was such loss and heartbreak in those eyes that Caleb thought, even if it was for a moment, that Tyler should have let Pogue's side get hit by the truck.

He was torn between feeling disgusted with himself for such a thought, and believing it.

Reid turned around then, walking away from the cemetery, a white rose falling from his fingers and hitting the ground. Caleb sighed to himself, wishing that for once, just once, Reid would let himself accept his emotions. Tyler wouldn't have wanted Reid to hold it in.

* * *

_~`;'~_

"Reid, are you there?!" it was Caleb.

"Yeah," was all the blonde said before hitting the end button. He didn't feel like talking. He hated how dry and emotionless - _how defeated _- his voice sounded when he had answered the phone.

Whoever said that if you truly love someone you could sense something was wrong, lied. Staring at the band around his finger, twisting it around and watching as the light glittered over the diamond and danced over the silver, Reid realised just how defeated he was.

Reid fell asleep at the desk in his room at his family's home, waking up when he felt someone brushing his bangs away from his face. Reid pulled back, rubbing the heel of his hand over his eyes and checking. There was no one there.

He heard a voice near his ear, but it was faint, like someone had recorded it while the person stood hundreds of yards away. _'I'm here' _it breathed, Reid shaking his head and screaming. He was losing it, he couldn't lose it. Not now.

He stood from the desk, pacing around for a few moments. He could have sworn he heard the voice again, _'Reid, please. Come sit with me'_, but he ignored it, glaring around the room, unable to decide what he should be feeling at the moment.

He threw himself onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. The photo frame on his bed side fell, the blonde staring at it in apprehension. He took it in his hands, staring down at it. It was of Tyler and himself. '_Can't you see me?' _the voice asked, but this time something touched his face and his shoulder.

It was easier to ignore a voice than a touch. His eyes widened and he slid back, falling off the other side of the bed and hitting the ground. He screamed, gripping his head and shaking it. He was going insane!

'_No, don't scream. Don't be frightened - it's just me!'_ Reid shook his head, pulling his knees to his chest and burying his face against them.

"Go away. Whatever you are, leave me alone. I can't take this right now!" he cried out, wishing desperately that he could just cry, but no tears left his eyes. He was too proud to cry. He fingered the ring on his left hand without looking up. "Oh Tyler, why did you leave me?!"

* * *

_~`;'~_

_Tyler went to cup his hands around the back of the blonde's head and pull his lover to his chest, but the blurry figure behind him pulled him away. He turned to the other young man; he knew it was a young man; and frowned._

"_Why can't he see me." he demanded. The figure sighed. _

"_The same reason you cant see me. He doesn't want to. He doesn't want to accept that you're gone just like you don't." _

_Tyler growled, grabbing the dark area of the figure's chest, finding it was the collar of a jacket, and pulling it closer. "I'm not gone. Stop saying that to me! Leave me alone!" the person's hands rested on his own, cold but still blurry, like someone had focussed a camera on the background rather than the foreground. _

"_You're dead, Tyler Simms. And he'll never accept it if you don't." Tyler trembled, pulling away. _

"_I wont leave him. I cant, I love him." Tyler said quietly, turning to face the blonde huddled against the wall shaking and shouting things to himself. "I love him, god damnit! Why me!" he slammed his fist against the wall, but it didn't do anything. He didn't feel it. _

_He stared at his hand incredulously, reaching out and running his fingers along the surface of the wall. He couldn't feel it; why hadn't he noticed this before?_

_The young man grabbed his arm softly, catching Tyler's gaze. "You are a sacrifice, Tyler. You saved your friend's life at the cost of your own, even if it meant severing your love. You get to go to a better place than this; a place you can make your own. You can be what you want, do what you want. And when Reid joins you eventually, you'll both be ready. You can have everything you wanted if just accept that you died." _

_Tyler was silent, staring over at his lover who was still huddled against the wall, but had stopped screaming. Instead the blonde was rocking to himself, running fingers through his hair and shuddering as though he could still feel the sensation of Tyler's touch. _

"_If I go with you, will I be able to see him again?" the man shook his head._

"_Not until he joins you." Tyler stared at the other man, narrowing his eyes. _

"_I recognise you from somewhere; who are you?"_

"_Chase Collins. I died not at Putnam Barn but in a similar manner to yourself; I was hit by a speeding car and I couldn't heal myself." Tyler's back hit the wall hard, though he didn't feel anything. The form was coming more into focus; he could see the other young man's face now, even if it was still slightly blurred. _

"_Why are you here?" Tyler said quietly. Chase's expression was unreadable as he moved to stand in front of Tyler, blocking his view of Reid. _

"_I'm just doing my job. I, how should I say it…I haven't repented just yet. But they decided to give me a chance seeing as I was also a sacrifice. I saved a little girl's life when I was hit by the car, though I have no idea what had come over me." he said, chuckling in his self-disbelieving way Tyler had heard before. _

"_Who are 'they'?"_

"_I don't know, whoever decides if you go up, down or stay I guess. I just know that I have to shadow others like yourself who wont accept it in order to keep the ones they left behind in peace." Tyler narrowed his eyes again._

"_How would my staying effect him, huh?" the exiled Son shook his head, stepping aside and allowing Reid into Tyler's sight again._

"_Imagine if Reid was here and you couldn't see or touch him, and could barely hear him. Imagine feeling a body pressed to yours when there's no one there; especially when your lover just died. You'll drive him to insanity, Tyler, and if he cant take it he'll do something that separates you forever." _

_For hours Tyler sat and watched as Reid fell asleep on the unforgiving floor, crying out in his sleep over night terrors. The raven could see that his still living lover was going to suffer; he just hoped he didn't suffer for too long. _

_Tyler was unsurprised to see that Chase was still standing beside him, waiting. Tyler stood, realising that Chase was completely in focus now. The other young man was staring at him, no emotion on his face. Tyler looked down to their feet, seeing that they were slightly faded. Both of them were translucent, and Tyler realised he'd come to terms with it._

"_I need another day. That's all I ask, and I'll go with you."

* * *

_

_~`;'~_

"I'm so sorry Tyler, I should have known something was wrong. I might have been able to help. I was peacefully reading in my bed while you were dying painfully in the wreck of a car. It's all my fault…" Reid whispered, tracing the name carved into the stone with his fingertips.

_Tyler stood a few feet away, shaking his head in disbelief. Chase wasn't too far away either, sitting on top of a headstone silently and watching the two of them in sympathy. He was afraid for Reid; he'd been down below and it was a fate no one should have to endure for an eternity. _

Reid turned the ring around his finger, pressing the small diamond to his own lips. "For your sake, I'll live. If there's a god he already hates me; why make it worse by possibly defying him, eh?" he chuckled, though it sounded broken from his lips. "If I weren't so afraid of the consequences, I'd off myself in ten seconds flat, but if there's even the slightest possibility I'll see you again, then I'll do my best. I'll try for you."

"_No, no Reid. Don't say you'd do that to yourself; it's not right. Don't live for me, live for yourself. Living for me is pointless now." Tyler said quietly, not wanting Reid to hear him accidentally like he knew he would. He moved closer, kneeling right beside his brave but broken lover. _

Reid hadn't cried; not once. But he desperately wanted to. Caleb had called him again that morning, and he'd spoken to the older boy for maybe ten minutes. Caleb had asked how he was doing, which didn't require a detailed explanation. Then he'd asked Reid if he wanted to come with him and Pogue to dinner when the other boy got out of the hospital; make sure the remaining brothers stayed strong for one another.

Reid knew Pogue would be feeling as guilty as hell; they all felt guilty. Caleb still believed he should have stopped his friends from driving when he was iffy about them both being influenced by alcohol. Pogue had wished that Tyler hadn't swung the car around and taken the hit, felt he shouldn't have asked the younger boy for a ride when he was still happily partying away.

And Reid just wished he'd known. He'd felt no dread or intuition that something wasn't right. His heart hadn't hurt or broken, crying at him that his soul mate was dying. It felt like a lie to him; he felt more than cheated. Tyler didn't deserve this; maybe he did but Tyler didn't.

He just hoped that whatever there was after death, that Tyler was coping better than he was, that maybe he could hear him. He smiled bitterly, fisting his hand and punching the stone half-heartedly. His head hung, tears stinging with tears that wouldn't release.

"You…you cant hear me can you. What good was I, Baby boy."

_Tyler shook his head, aware that Chase was watching him disapprovingly as he knelt right beside the blonde who couldn't see him. His hands went to go to Reid's shoulders to soothe him, but he spotted something on his own hand, glinting in a strangely transparent and hollow way._

_It was a ring. An engagement ring. _

_If Tyler was able to cry, he would have. _

"You'll never be there for me again, will you. There's nothing after this. What am I thinking…it's all a fool's hope." Reid said quietly, wringing his hands together and glaring at the stone. "It's all my fault."

"_No Reid, I can here you. It's not worthless, it wasn't anybody's fault. I can hear you, it's alright." Tyler said gently, trying to stop from touching the weak young man in front of him. _

Reid heard that eerie voice near his ear again and shuddered. His shoulders shook with the effort to not cry, though he desperately wished he could. He just wanted Tyler back!

_Tyler's hands came to Reid's shoulders when he seen the other boy shake, though he was aware of how he felt absolutely nothing at what should have been a comforting touch. "I love you." he whispered, Reid biting his lip for a moment before he screamed, pressing his forehead to the grass and curling away from Tyler._

Reid heard the voice, heard what it said, and couldn't take it. His mind wanted to torment him, it truly did. But once again, it was the sensation of being touched that made it unbearable. Finally, he cried out, tears spilling from his eyes and glistening down his face. It made it too real; it made it too strong. His mind was playing tricks, taunting him over his loss.

Tyler was gone; he'd never touch him or talk to him again.

If only he was still a child, at least then he could pretend it was all real.

_Tyler watched his lover doubled in emotional agony, taking several steps back and staring down at the other boy. The feeling of Chase's eyes on the back of his neck and the numb ache in his chest when he realised that this was the first time he'd seen Reid cry faded away, and he could do nothing about it. _

_It was his fault after all._

_He couldn't comfort his lover because he died, and the older Son blamed himself. Just like he knew his other two brothers blamed themselves. _

"_Do you see what will happen if you stay." Chase said quietly, Tyler coming out of his own thoughts at the statement. He sighed, nodding and turning away, approaching Chase with his head still lowered. Chase placed a hand on Tyler's shoulder. "It's time." _

_I know, I just wish I could have told him one last time." _

_Chase frowned slightly. "I understand."

* * *

_

_~`;'~_

Reid's sore strained eyes barely opened when he heard the phone ringing. _Caleb_, Reid thought, _Why cant he leave me alone for a week at least._ It had been days since he broke down at the cemetery, and several times he'd thought of breaking his promise at Tyler's grave.

How many times had he held a knife to his wrist, unable to do more than leave a tiny little scratch as a reminder that he couldn't go through with it. He wasn't scared of killing himself; he was scared of what consequences it would have on Tyler, if there really was something waiting for them both.

The phone kept ringing, but Reid couldn't find it in himself to move. His eyes closed slowly, sleep tugging at him once again as he absently listened to the answering machine on his phone pick up the message.

"**Hey, you've reached Reid Garwin. I'm more than likely ignoring this call, seeing as my friends are all lame and don't get out much. So anyway, you know what to do. Leave a message and I'll continue ignoring you. **-beep-"

"…_*static* Reid…_"

The blonde's moonstone eyes shot open, but he couldn't move. He was too petrified, too afraid. Just the thought of it being all in his head held him in place. His fingers curled around the edge of the coverlet, knuckles white and nails piercing his skin through the material.

"…_I love you, Reid…_"

This time, at the sound of Tyler's faint voice, Reid sat up, eyes looking around the room for the phone when he seen it wasn't in the holder. He tried desperately to remember where it was.

_Chase watched Reid's tear-filled eyes searching around the room for the phone. He felt the guilt in his gut again, but he didn't regret hiding the phone. It wouldn't do for Reid to pick up the line only to end the call, and Tyler had agreed that this was enough; he just wanted Reid to know._

"…_I just wanted to say 'yes', because I know I'll never get the chance again. I love the ring, and seeing you wear the one I bought you makes me happier than you can imagine…_"

"Tyler? Baby, hold on! Don't hang up, I'll…find the phone. Don't you hang up now!" Reid shouted, hoping that his lover could hear him. Throwing himself off the bed, he searched frantically for the wireless piece, hands scrabbling against clothes and books tossed across his room.

"…_When you finally come to me, maybe we can get married; __they allow that here, you know. __This place is magical. Love is a power greater than religion. But…I don't want you here just yet. I want you to be happy; think about me waiting for you here. Find a woman, have children, love again. Even if you never marry or you never find a love like ours, it will make you happy for the time being…_"

Reid stood in the middle of the room. He knew that tone of voice; it was the one Tyler used when he was ending a conversation, because there was nothing more to say. "Baby boy, don't leave me…no you don't know what you're saying."

"…_We'll have forever here, Reid. So I can wait for you. I'll visit you from time to time, just to check up on you. But you wont know it's me. I'll watch over you, keep you safe. I'll love you from a distance and you'll love me from the same…you'll make it here, I know it…_"

Reid shook his head, but continued to listen to Tyler's calm, feint voice. He swallowed thickly, the prickling sensation that he was being watched was ignored, too transfixed with the message than petty paranoia.

"…_I won't blame you if you cry for me. I really do love you, Reid. *static*_ -beep-"

"**Message saved**."

"Oh Tyler…" Reid whispered, the tears rolling from his eyes. Oh yes, he was going to cry for him.

* * *

_~`;'~_

I did everything he asked of me. My three sons are in their mid-to-late teens, and my woman knows everything, and ended up marrying some other man and taking equal custody with me.

She understands; neither of us loved one another the way I used to love him anyway.

I lived a happy, albeit short life, and I'm giving my heart to my youngest son; our blood was the rarest of types and we were having trouble getting a donor. I refused to let his twin do it, instead I decided to give him my own.

I'm feeling numb now; the pills have started working. I can't even feel the ice in the water anymore. I can't hear an ambulance, and I'm almost certain that my suicide will go without a hitch. My son and his body will hopefully not reject the heart, and hopefully he'll survive.

Though, in my last moment of death, it was not my sons, Caleb or Pogue and their families or even my life that flashed before my eyes; it was just a memory.

A memory of Tyler and myself at Pogue's eighteenth party. Pogue had held up a camera, asking for a photo of the two of us. At the last moment, I had turned my lips to Tyler's cheek, surprising everyone at the party. Pogue laughed, especially when Tyler grinned and turned his head so that our lips met in a kiss in front of everyone.

It had taken us years, but when we finally came out to our friends it was without much thought, doing it before either of us lost our nerve. Everyone had thought of it as a party kiss, except Kate who had walked in on us kissing several times before by accident and had told the others that we really were together.

But all I remember was the excitement on Tyler's face when he turned and kissed me in front of our friends.

The phone, which had slipped out of my fingers from my body's loss of feeling, hit the bathmat with an almost silent clatter. I could still hear the dial tone from when I had called the ambulance. It started ringing, and I tried to move to answer it out of habit.

My fingers barely twitched, and I swelled with relief that I would fall asleep to never wake before anyone could save me; it was the only way to save my son after all.

The voicemail on my phone picked up the message, and I listened in fading consciousness.

"**Reid Garwin's phone. If you're trying to reach me or my family, leave a message.** -beep-"

"…_*static* I'll be here waiting, Reid. I'm so proud of you…_"

"I love you, Baby boy."

"…_I know. I'll see you soon *static*_-beep"

"**Message saved**."

**

* * *

**

**END

* * *

**

**A/N: **Oh my Aussie spelling, otl! This is just a little oneshot, but if you want me to write a companion piece/chapter just tell me in the review; I may just change my mind.

There is more than one 'message' in this story, see if you can figure them all out. I'm big on conceptual writing, and most of my stories, though containing unintentional humour, are quite serious in nature unfortunately. I hate to think of myself as a morbid writer, because I really am a happy person most of the time. One thing I'd like to mention is that even though the last message was just that, Tyler could hear Reid - the point was that Reid was supposed to me watching over Reid and was in the room at the time, and the phone was the only way to get through to him.

It seems I'm gaining some fans in this category; thankyou all my supporters and all you fellow supporters of ReidxTyler out there.

Anyway, I'm going to give a shot at a femslash oneshot, so wish me luck with that - I've never tried to write yuri before.

**Take care,**  
**MK**


End file.
